Scoop shovel



April 1968 A- LISSAKERS 3,380,772

SCOOP SHOVEL Filed Sept. 25, 1966 INVENTOR AXE'L L/SSAKERS F .5 9%,My,vmmzu ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,380,772 SCOOP SHOVEL AxelLissakers, RD. 2, Perrysville, Ohio 44864 Filed Sept. 23, 1966, Ser. No.581,509 Claims. (Cl. 294-54) The present invention relates as indicatedto a scoop shovel, having particularly advantageous use in the handlingand removing of snow.

Heretofore, manually operable snow removal equipment of the type hereconcerned has not been completely satisfactory for a number of reasons.A common, commercially available type of snow shovel comprises a.generally flat or slightly curved blade, with the curvature beingtransverse to the direction of travel or movement of the shovel duringnormal use thereof. Such shovels are open at the sides and, as a result,have a decidedly limited capacity. Moreover, such shovels customarilycome with a single handle extending rearwardly from the blade generallycentrally thereof so that the snow must be lifted, with the operatornormally placing one hand fairly far down the handle toward the blade toperform the lifting operation. In shoveling relatively deep snow, thenecessary lifting of the snow requires considerable effort, and is arecognized cause of heart attacks and the like.

Due to the relatively small capacity as noted of the blade type snowshovels, snow scoops have been provided which include side portionswhich extend generally normal to the blade or bottom of the shovel andwhich act to confine or retain the snow collected in the scoop duringdumping thereof. Although such scoops are able to handle substantiallyincreased quantities of snow in a single collecting and dumpingoperation, the scoops which applicant is familiar with have beenrelatively inconvenient to use and have, in certain constructions,required undesirable lifting thereof in order to remove the snowtherefrom. Moreover, the above-noted health hazard involved in liftingthe snow is applicable to this type of equipment as well.

With the above in mind, a primary object of the present invention is toprovide a scoop shovel which is of lightweight construction andrelatively high capacity, while at the same time being easily maneuveredfor convenient collecting and dumping of the snow.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a scoop havinghandle members which extend from the body portion of the shovel in amanner to enhance movement of the scoop shovel in collecting the snowand in subsequently dumping the same. In this latter regard, the handlesare uniquely constructed and arranged relative to the body of the scoopto permit dumping of the snow from the scoop to either side of theshovel or to the front thereof, with relatively little effort beingrequired by the operator when in a normal, upright position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a scoop of thetype described which is constructed of lightweight material butreinforced in the areas subjected to the greater stresses and wearthereby to provide a shovel which is rugged and longlasting.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a scoop shovelof the type described which is easily fabricated and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and which is capable of nested arrangementwith other such shovels for economical storage and transportation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodi-"ice ments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but afew of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may beemployed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the normal manner of use of thescoop shovel of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the body of the shovelshowing the manner in which the handles are attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the top flange of the shovel bodybetween the handle portions, taken on line 66 0fFIG.l.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings wherein like parts areindicated by like reference numerals, the scoop shovel of the presentinvention is generally indicated at 10 and includes a body portion 11and handles 12 and 13 mounted in transversely spaced relationship on thebody and extending to the forward edge thereof. The handles 12 and 13are suitably spaced for convenient and comfortable grasping of the gripportions 14 and 15, respectively, by the operator when using the scoop,with the handles preferably being spaced and at an elevation from theground when the shovel is in the use position to approximate the spacingand elevation of the handles of a wheelbarrow. In such position theoperator can use the shovel when standing in an upright position andforce can be more effectively applied to move the shovel forwardlythrough the snow.

The body 11 of the scoop includes a bottom 20, up wardly and outwardlyflared side walls 21 and 22, and a back wall 23 which extends generallynormal to the adjacent region of the bottom 20, as can be seen in FIG.6. The side and rear walls 21-23 thus define with the bottom 20 of theshovel a snow receiving and retaining area capable of collectingrelatively large quantities of snow. In the form shown, the side andrear walls 2123 are integrally formed with the body 20 and the body ispreferably stamped from a suitable material, for example sheet aluminum.Although the dimensions of the body are not critical, highlysatisfactory results have been obtained with the dimensions of thebottom 29 being approximately 28 inches wide and 40 inches long, therebyproviding a considerable surface area for receiving the snow.

Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the handles 12 and 13 extend through the rearwall 23 of the shovel body and forwardly to the front edge of theshovel, with the handles in the region of the bottom 20 conforming tothe shape thereof and mounted thereto in a manner to be presentlydescribed. As can be seen from the longitudinally spaced sectional viewsof FIGS. 3-5, the handles 12 and 13 are gradually flattened beginningsubstantially at the regions thereof which extend through the rear wall23 to their forward ends, with the latter being completely flattened asshown in FIG. 5.

The rear wall 23 is formed with openings 25 which in the form shownintersect the top edge of the rear wall and through which the handles 12and 13 extend. A reinforcing strip 26, bent around the top edge of therear wall 23 and riveted thereto by rivets 26a or the like, is flattenedin the area immediately above the handles 12 and 13 to form a rivetsupporting surface through which top rivets 27 extends for rigidlyinterconnecting the rear wall and the handles 12 and 13.

Reinforcing strips 28, preferably of stainless steel, extend along theunderside of the bottom 20 directly below the handles 12 and 13. Aseries of longitudinally spaced rivets commonly designated at 29 rigidlysecure both the 3 strip 28 and the handle 13 to the bottom 20, as seenin FIGS. 3-5. The rivets 29 are preferably placed 5 to 6 inches apartalong the length of the stainless steel strips 28 to rigidly connectthese members.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the strip 28 are generally dish-shapedin cross-section, and are formed with flared side flanges 30 and 31which engage the underside of the bottom of the shovel body. The dishedconstruction serves to significantly increase the resistance of thestrips to transverse bending thereby strengthening the entire shovelbody. The strips 28 are preferably slightly countersunk in the regionsof the rivets 29 to provide a relatively flat bottom surface to reducethe friction of the shovel bottom during use thereof.

As previously noted and as shown in FIG. 5, the handles 12 and 13 aresubstantially entirely flattened adjacent the forward or leading edgesthereof thereby to provide little or no resistance to the snow movingrearwardly over the forward end of the shovel. As best seen in FIG. 2, afront strip 35 preferably of stainless steel is riveted by means ofrivets 36 to the bottom 20 of the scoop and t0 the flattened, leadingends of the handles 12 and 13. The extreme forward end 37 of the steelstrip 35 projects beyond the bottom 2i) and the flattened ends of thehandles 12 and 13 to present a leading blade edge better adapted toabsorb the greater friction and consequent Wear which occur at such end.The trailing end 38 of the strip 35 terminates adjacent the forward endsof the bottom reinforcing strips 28.

In the preferred use of the scoop shovel of the present invention, theshovel is placed so that the flat portion of the bottom 20 rests flat onthe surface to be shoveled. In such position, the handles 12 and 13extend upwardly for convenient grasping by the user when in an uprightposition, in much the same manner as the grasping of a wheelbarrow. Theshovel is then moved forwardly with the leading blade edge 37 scrapingthe surface and the snow moving over such leading edge into the scooparea defined by the bottom 20, side Walls 21 and 22, and rear wall 23.It will be noted that in such use, the operators body can freely extendinto the area between the handles 12 and 13 thereby more efliciently toexert the force necessary to move the shovel through the snow.

When the scoop area has become filled with snow, the snow may be dumpedforwardly of the shovel or to either side thereof. If the snow is dumpedforwardly, in the manner material is dumped from a wheelbarrow, thehandles 12 and 13 are simply moved upwardly by the operator and the snowis discharged by gravity from the bottom 20 forwardly of the shovel.When snow is to be discharged at either side of the shovel, therespective sides on the forwardmost corner edges of the shovel serve aspivots for pivoting the shovel in either sideward direction. Forexample, referring to FIG. 1, if the operator desired to dump the snowto the area on his right, the shovel would be simply pivoted about thejuncture of the side 21 and the bottom 20, or the right edge of thestrip 35 by manipulation of the handles 12 and 13 for gravity dischargeof the snow from the bottom 20.

It will thus be seen that the position and spacing of the handles 12 and13 afford a flexibility in use of the scoop shovel not available inpresent snow shovels and scoops of this general type. Relatively largeamounts of snow can be more effectively handled by virtue of the moreeflicient application of force. The snow is dumped, rather than lifted,and as a result there is considerably less effort required than withprior shovels of this general type.

Although the scoop shovel of the present invention is designed primarilyfor snow removal, it will be apparent that other material, for exampleleaves, could be handled as well with equally satisfactory results. Itwill also be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes could bemade from the preferred form disclosed without, however, departing fromthe invention concepts. For example, the rear wall 23 could be madewider and partially folded upon itself to provide the desired increasedrigidity now afforded by the reinforcing strip 26. In such event,openings could be formed in such double thickness region for receivingthe handles 12 and 13.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the followin claims or the equivalent of suchbe employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A scoop shovel for shoveling snow and the like comprising a bodyhaving bottom and integral side and rear walls defining an area for thecollection and temporary retention of snow or the like, the front ofsaid bottom wall being flat along a substantial longitudinal distanceand the rear portion of said bottom wall being upwardly and rearwardlycurved so that said rear wall is substantially elevated from thesupporting surface, separate tubular handles extending through said rearwall and over said bottom wall and terminating adjacent the forward endof said bottom wall, said handles in the regions thereof coextensivewith said bottom wall conforming to the shape of said bottom wall, saidhandles extending rearwardly of said body a substantial distance andbeing spaced to provide an open area therebetween in which the user canmaneuver during normal use of the shovel, reinforcing means extendinglongitudinally along the underside of said bottom wall verticallyaligned with said handles, and means for connecting said handles andsaid reinforcing means to said bottom wall.

2. The shovel of claim 1 wherein said tubular handles are graduallyflattened in the direction toward the for-- ward end of the shovel, withsuch handles being completely flattened adjacent the forward edges ofsuch shovel.

3. The shovel of claim 1 further including a steel strip rigidlyconnected to the forward end of said bottom wall of said shovel, saidsteel strip extending partially beyond such forward end to provide aleading edge.

4. The shovel of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing means extendinglongitudinally along the underside of said bottom wall comprise steelstrips rigidly carried by said bottom wall of said shovel, each of saidsteel strips being generally dish-shaped so as inherently to resistlongitudinal bending thereof.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said longitudinally extendingsteel strips are connected to said bottim wall by rivet means whichadditionally operatively secure said tubular handles to said bottomwall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,047,485 7/ 1936 McBrady 294-573,154,336 10/1964 Nelson 29454 EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner. R. D.GUIOD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SCOOP SHOVEL FOR SHOVELING SNOW AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A BODYHAVING BOTTOM AND INTEGRAL SIDE AND REAR WALLS DEFINING AN AREA FOR THECOLLECTION AND TEMPORARY RETENTION OF SNOW OR THE LIKE, THE FRONT OFSAID BOTTOM WALL BEING FLAT ALONG A SUBSTANTIAL LONGITUDINAL DISTANCEAND THE REAR PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM WALL BEING UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLYCURVED SO THAT SAID REAR WALL IS SUBSTANTIALLY ELEVATED FROM THESUPPORTING SURFACE, SEPARATE TUBULAR HANDLES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID REARWALL AND OVER SAID BOTTOM WALL AND TERMINATING ADJACENT THE FORWARD ENDOF SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID HANDLES IN THE REGIONS THEREOF COEXTENSIVEWITH SAID BOTTOM WALL CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAIDHANDLES EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF SAID BODY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ANDBEING SPACED TO PROVIDE AN OPEN AREA THEREBETWEEN IN WHICH THE USER CANMANEUVER DURING NORMAL USE OF THE SHOVEL, REINFORCING MEANS EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL VERTICALLYALIGNED WITH SAID HANDLES, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID HANDLES ANDSAID REINFORCING MEANS TO SAID BOTTOM WALL.